Hendrik Numan
Hendrik Numan was an artist active in the mid-eighteenth century, working primarily in the print medium between 1746 and 1761. A substantial body of his work is preserved in major institutions, with fifteen of his prints documented in the collections of the Rijksmuseum.
Numan’s subject matter focused primarily on genre scenes, documenting everyday life, rural labor, and local social interactions typical of the period. His thematic interests encompassed agricultural activities, exemplified by the works Figuren op een boerderij aan het werk and Landarbeiders aan het werk, and various community gatherings such as Bijeenkomst. Other notable pieces exploring human condition and specific localized narratives include Bedelende man met een stok and the detailed group scene, Kinderen dansend in een kring om een monument van de Zeven Provinciën.
The preservation of Numan’s work in the Rijksmuseum confirms his historical significance within the Dutch printmaking tradition. Today, the enduring appeal of Hendrik Numan prints ensures that many of his compositions, now in the public domain, are available as high-quality prints and downloadable artwork for both historical study and contemporary appreciation.
